Paul Scotney to leave integrity post at British Horseracing Authority

Paul Scotney, the British Horseracing Authority's director of integrity, is to leave the BHA after nine years. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

Paul Scotney, the ex-policeman who has long had responsibility for ensuring integrity in British horse racing, is to stand down. A press release from the British Horseracing Authority said it had been "agreed mutually" that he would leave as part of a restructure by the new chief executive, Paul Bittar, who took up his post at the start of the year.

Scotney, who joined the BHA in 2003 and holds the title of director of integrity services, will step aside on 14 December, though there will then be a transitional period during which he will "remain a part of the BHA's ability to protect the sport from corruption, providing advice on investigations and strategy", according to a statement. His former functions will pass to Adam Brickell, a 32-year-old solicitor who has been serving as the BHA's head of legal. The BHA promise "other structural changes in the business to be announced".

Bittar praised the departing Scotney. "Paul leaves his full-time role with British racing far better equipped to deal with threats to the sport's integrity than it was on his arrival in 2003," he said. "A measure of the progress made under Paul was illustrated when an independent review carried out by Dame Elizabeth Neville in 2008 concluded that the BHA integrity department is 'a model for the effective investigation of corruption in sport'.

"One of my primary objectives has been to conduct a review of all aspects of the business to identify the most effective and efficient structure for the BHA given our broad role in the industry. However, this should be seen as a constant evolution of the business and the changes announced today are part of that – something Paul has contributed constructively to."

Scotney said that, while sad to leave, he was "excited at the prospect of working for clients outside of racing, while also retaining my links to the BHA. I am certainly proud of the progress that has been made during my time in racing.

"The links between racing and betting are more deeply ingrained than in other sports so it is only fitting that racing should lead the way in understanding better the threats posed as a result of sports betting. As an all-round sports fan, I am looking forward to putting that experience to wider use."

Scotney was a police officer for 27 years, latterly as a detective chief superintendant, before joining the BHA.

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